Posada, Instant Replay Lift Yankees Past Tribe

In a pinch hit at-bat in the seventh inning of Sunday’s game, Jorge Posada crushed a two-run homerun into the short porch in right field of the new Yankee Stadium to push the New York Yankees in front of the Cleveland Indians to lead the Yankees' to a 7-3 win.

A couple of fans sitting behind the wall got involved with the play, reaching over the gate to snatch the ball.

Instant replay was used to determine whether or not the ball would have been a homer if the fans did not interfere.

The umpires convened, and after eight and a half minutes, ruled Posada’s hit a homerun. They concluded that the ball would have hit the fan’s chest, and Cleveland right fielder Trevor Crowe would not have caught the ball.

“I saw the ball hit right behind the fence, and it was worth waiting the eight and a half minutes,” Yankee skipper Joe Girardi said after the game to the YES Network.

“I looked at it and looked at it, and I knew it would not be overturned. The umpire told me the ball hit the fan behind the fence.”

“I wasn’t sure when I hit it if it was going to go out or not,” Posada said. “The wind was very strange today, and the ball just went high. I just had to keep running.”

The Yanks had been down 3-2 before Posada’s two-run blast, getting their previous RBI from Mark Teixeira and Hideki Matsui.

Leading 4-3, Cody Ransom provided the Yankees with three insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, smacking a bases-clearing, three-run double and raising the Bombers up to seven runs on the day.

The Indian’s offense came off the bats of Shin-Soo Choo, who clobbered a solo home run in the second inning, and Ryan Garko who smacked a two-run homer in the fourth.

A.J. Burnett started for the Bronx Bombers, going 6.1 innings and giving up three runs on three hits. He walked a startling seven batters while fanning two.

“It all started with our pitching,” Girardi continued. “A.J. was good, and Jonathan (Albaladejo) came in and was great. Jonny finished what A.J. started.”

Burnett was opposed by former Yankee Carl Pavano, who tossed six innings, and gave up one earned run on four hits. He walked one and punched out four.

“I battled, that’s for sure,” Burnett said.  “I had some unbelievable defense to say the least, and Albaladejo came in and picked me right up. You’ve got to keep your team in the game, and that’s what I did.”

Jonathan Albaladejo came on in relief of Burnett, recorded two outs, and held the Indians to no runs in a bases loaded jam.

For his stellar performance, Albaladejo picked up his first win as a Yankee, and is now 1-0 on the year.

Jensen Lewis of the Tribe recorded his second blown save on the year, took the loss, and falls to 1-2 on the season.

Brian Bruney tossed an inning of shutout ball in the top of the eighth for the Yankees while giving up no hits, as he earned his third hold of the year.

The Yankees will now open up a three game series against the Oakland Athletics at home.

Tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m.Andy Pettitte (1-0, 2.51 ERA) of the Yanks will be up against Dana Eveland of the A’s (0-0, 6.75 ERA).